JP6551524B2 - Vehicle wheel - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle wheel comprising a rim and a wheel center.

  Dymag Racing UK, International Publication No. 2006/097856, published on September 21, 2006, discloses a vehicle wheel comprising a rim made of plastic material and a metal spoke or wheel disc. Yes. The spoke part or wheel disc is connected to the rim by at least one connecting element guided through the rim base.

  Wash Kosan International Publication No. 2013/045618, published on April 4, 2013, discloses a wheel comprising a carbon fiber reinforced plastic rim and a metal alloy wheel spider. According to the present application, the wheel spider can be fixed to the rim by a clamp ring. The present application shows an embodiment of a wheel in which the clamp ring is placed in the center of the wheel and a part of the rim well is clamped while the clamp ring is fixed to the wheel spider by screws.

  Louis Huide-Koper, International Publication No. 2014/058313, published on April 15, 2014, shows a vehicle wheel having a rim and a wheel center formed of two different materials. According to this document, the rim may be made of a polymer reinforced with glass fibers, carbon fibers or the like. The wheel center may be made of metal. The rim has a peripheral edge radially inward of the rim. The wheel center and the rim are provided with openings suitable for receiving the connection element. The edge openings or wheel center openings have a radially elongated shape intended to reduce the stresses that occur when materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion are heated.

  For wheels which are understood from the general prior art, it can be seen that the connection between the wheel center and the rim is important with regard to the durability of the wheel.

  Vehicle wheels must meet a comprehensive series of requirements including specific dimensions, minimal mechanical capabilities, maximum total weight, specified mass distribution, durability and appearance. As these requirements are highly dependent on the specified application and the specified customer, the manufacturer of the wheel usually has to provide various different wheel types.

  In order to enable effective (or economically rational) customization, vehicle wheels are often not manufactured integrally for this reason. Alternatively, the rim and wheel center may be separately prefabricated and then assembled so that, for example, different types of rims can be combined with different types of wheel centers. In this way, different types of wheel centers can be used to build up a wide variety of different wheel designs based on specific rim types with specified dimensions.

  Such multi-piece wheel designs also offer the possibility of using different materials for the rim and the wheel center. While this may be done for aesthetic reasons only, such an approach can also be used to improve the performance of the wheel. This can be achieved, for example, by reducing the moment of inertia of the wheel, which has a major impact on the handling of the vehicle. Therefore, on the other hand, the total mass of the wheel must be minimized. On the other hand, it has to be taken into account that the mass placed away from the axis of rotation contributes considerably more to the moment of inertia than the mass close to the axis of rotation. Thus, reducing the weight of the rim rather than reducing the weight of the wheel center increases the likelihood that the performance of the wheel will be improved.

  Thus, by combining a rim made of a particularly light material with a wheel center made of a more conventional material, a wheel with low weight and low moment of inertia can be obtained. Thus, a combination of different metals including magnesium, aluminum, titanium or steel may be selected. In the description of the present invention, “aluminum”, “magnesium” and “titanium” are naturally understood to mean these alloys.

  However, composite materials may also be used to further reduce the mass and moment of inertia of the wheel when compared to designs using only metal. Thus, for example, fiber reinforced plastic comprising glass fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, basart fiber or combinations thereof may be used for the rim and / or the wheel center. These types of wheels formed of fiber reinforced plastic and metal may be referred to as "hybrid wheels". A first type of hybrid wheel comprises a metal wheel center, wherein the rim is formed of fiber reinforced plastic. The second type comprises metal rims, wherein the wheel center is formed of fiber reinforced plastic.

  However, the major drawback of many wheels formed of multiple materials is that the combination of multiple materials, which are effective from the structural mechanical point of view (for example in terms of total weight, strength or stiffness), has other requirements, For example, it would cause a drawback regarding the electrochemical compatibility of the material. For example, the combination of a component made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and a component made of aluminum is often important with respect to electrochemical contact corrosion (although the same effect can be achieved with certain steel and aluminum combinations). Other combinations of such materials also occur). As a result of such corrosion phenomena, the joint between the rim and the wheel center can discolor, which is undesirable for aesthetic reasons. But more importantly, such corrosion phenomena reduce the mechanical durability of the joint, which adversely affects the overall durability of the wheel.

  Another drawback of wheels assembled from components formed of different materials is that the joint between two of the components must withstand very high brake and drive torques, and of the components Resulting from the joint between the two being exposed to cyclical loads during operation. Therefore, if the rim and the wheel center are formed of materials with mechanical material properties that are completely different, design a transition region between the wheel center and the rim so that load transfer cannot cause critical stress concentrations Things can be very difficult. This is especially true for the combination of fiber reinforced plastic and metal. Epoxy resins, which are widely used as a matrix for fiber reinforced plastics, have very low abrasion resistance, strength and hardness when compared to the metals commonly used in hybrid wheels. Thus, if the geometry of the rim and / or wheel center contact area (face) already has minor inaccuracies, a non-optimal contact pressure distribution may result, thus causing local damage to the matrix, Subsequently, exposure of the embedded fibers may occur. Matrix damage can have a significant impact on the mechanical performance of the composite member. Furthermore, fiber exposure significantly promotes the contact corrosion characteristic of the combination of carbon fiber reinforced plastic and aluminum.

  Thus, phenomena related to contact corrosion and contact mechanics in the area of the bond between the wheel center and the adjacent rim greatly affect the durability of the wheel. However, these problems are not solved by the wheels known from the prior art.

  For this reason, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved wheel comprising, as separate components, a rim and a wheel center which are possibly made of different materials. One object of the present invention is to provide a wheel with high durability when compared to such a wheel known from the prior art.

  According to the invention, the wheel comprises a rim and a wheel center interconnected to the rim. For the purposes of the present invention, "wheel center" is naturally understood to include any type of wheel center, such as a spoke structure or a wheel spider or a wheel disc. The rim includes at least one first contact area, the wheel center includes at least one second contact area, and the first contact area and the second contact area are positioned relative to each other in the mounting position. To be combined. According to the invention, the intermediate layer is arranged between the at least one first contact area and the at least one second contact area. The intermediate layer at least partially prevents direct contact between the first contact area and the second contact area. The design and function of the interlayer and variations of the interlayer are described in further detail below.

  A highly durable wheel can be realized if the intermediate layer completely prevents direct contact between the at least one first contact area and the at least one second contact area. Such an intermediate layer can completely prevent direct physical or electrochemical contact. This can effectively prevent contact corrosion and / or distribute the contact pressure more uniformly across the contact area.

  However, according to one variant of the invention, for some types of wheels, the intermediate layer is between the part of the at least one first contact area and the part of the at least one second contact area. Direct contact may be permitted. Such variations may be effective to optimize the distribution of contact pressure at a portion of the contact area for combinations of materials that are actually resistant to contact corrosion.

  According to one variant of the invention, the intermediate layer is designed to prevent damaging the protective surface layer of the first and / or second contact area. For fiber reinforced plastics, such a protective surface layer may be formed of an epoxy resin or finish to protect underlying fibers. For metals, the protective surface layer may be a finish or passive layer (e.g., formed of a polymeric material) if the protective surface layer is present on aluminum or titanium. Depending on the application, the presence of such a passivation layer may be important, for example, to prevent corrosion phenomena.

  In order to facilitate optimizing the load transfer between the wheel center and the rim, according to a variant of the invention, the intermediate layer may comprise at least one load bearing area / section. . Such load bearing area may be a particular part of at least one intermediate layer designed to allow proper load transfer. In another variant of the invention, the entire intermediate layer is used as the load bearing area. In another variant of the invention, some parts of the intermediate layer are specifically designed for load transmission while other parts do not contribute (or at least do not contribute significantly) to the load support. In order to optimize load transfer, the load bearing area may, for example, have a certain thickness and may, for example, be formed of a predetermined material that results in a more even distribution of contact stress.

  If desired, the intermediate layer comprises an electrically insulating material, which makes it possible to further reduce or prevent the contact corrosion phenomenon respectively. Such electrical insulating materials include, for example, polystyrene (PS) polypropylene (PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE) and low density polyethylene (LDPE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamides It may be a plastic material such as (PA), rubber or silicone. However, other materials such as glass or ceramic may also be used.

  Alternatively or additionally, the intermediate layer may include fibers such as glass fibers. For example, the intermediate layer may comprise glass fiber woven or glass fiber reinforced composite structures. The use of glass fibers may be effective to provide good electrical isolation.

  If possible, the intermediate layer can comprise at least one sealing area. Such a sealing area may be a (closed) sealing bead. In order to prevent moisture, air, salts, dust or other objects from entering the gap between the first contact area and the second contact area, the sealing area may be located at the boundary of the intermediate layer. It may be disposed circumferentially of the sealing area or the intermediate layer. Therefore, the penetration and accumulation of the corrosion promoter in the gap can be prevented, and the spread of the local corrosive environment can be prevented.

  Good results can be obtained if the sealing area comprises or is formed entirely of an elastic material. As a result, proper sealing can be ensured even if the joint periodically deforms during actuation. Particularly good results can be obtained for wheels when the sealing area is formed of FKM or vulcanized rubber or silicone or nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) or EPDM rubber or combinations thereof.

  In a variant of the invention, the load bearing area and the sealing area are the same area, so the load bearing area also functions as a sealing area and vice versa.

  For some purposes, the intermediate layer may comprise multiple layers formed of different materials. Thus, the intermediate layer comprises a plurality of layers formed of a continuous material such as plastic or metal and a plurality of layers formed of a non-continuous material such as a fabric, for example a fabric made of glass fibres. Also good. With such a multilayered intermediate layer, efficient electrical insulation can be combined, for example, with good sealing and a more even distribution of contact stress.

  The intermediate layer may comprise a metal layer, even when used at high operating temperatures, in order to obtain a wheel with a particularly long service life. The metal layer may be at least partially coated with a polymeric material. In this way, a particularly uniform distribution of contact stress can be obtained. Good results can be obtained if the metal layer is completely coated with the polymeric material. For some applications, the metal layer may be formed of a metal plate using a drawing process and / or a deep drawing process. It has been found that such an embodiment of the intermediate layer exhibits very good resistance to shear stress, especially in comparison with other types of intermediate layers, in particular for high operating temperatures. Thus, reducing relative movement between the rim and the wheel center (otherly causing wear and tear in the first and / or second contact areas and increasing corrosion due to the absence of a passive surface layer) Can do. In this way it is possible to significantly reduce the corrosion that is caused by wear and tear. In particular, the metal layer may be formed of stainless steel. Coating with a polymer material makes it possible to obtain an electrical insulation between the wheel center and the rim, which reduces the corrosion phenomenon. Also, such coatings may facilitate preventing the penetration and accumulation of corrosion promoters in this area of the wheel. Furthermore, if such a coating facilitates reducing the maximum contact stress between the intermediate layer and the first contact area and / or the maximum contact stress between the intermediate layer and the second contact area There is. Instead of or in addition to the polymeric material, the coating can also be formed of another material suitable for obtaining at least one of the above mentioned effects, for example ceramic or glass.

  In order to allow direct load transfer between the wheel center and the rim, the intermediate layer may be a thin intermediate layer, which is relatively thin when compared to other dimensions of the intermediate layer With thickness.

  For some purposes, the intermediate layer may have different thicknesses over the area of the intermediate layer. In this way, the stress distribution and load transfer between the wheel center and the rim may be controlled or optimized. Good results can be obtained if the intermediate layer has an average thickness of about 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm. An intermediate layer having such a thickness provides sufficient electrical insulation and optimal stress distribution to many materials without deteriorating the load transfer between the wheel center and the rim.

  The intermediate layer may be a pre-formed three-dimensional body, which is at least partially in the form of at least one first contact area and / or at least one second contact area. It can be preformed in advance. This facilitates the assembly of the wheel. Good results can be obtained if the intermediate layer is at least partly formed by a drawing process and / or a deep drawing process. As a starting material for such a drawing and / or deep drawing process, for example, a metal plate or a plastic sheet may be used.

  Alternatively or additionally, the intermediate layer may be formed of a relatively elastic material, which allows the contact area to be covered by the intermediate layer prior to final assembly of the wheel become. Thus, before bonding the wheel center and the rim together, the intermediate layer may cover the at least one second contact area or the at least one first contact area.

  In a variant of the invention, the intermediate layer is connected to the at least one second contact area or the at least one first contact area by means of an adhesive. In this way, the position of the intermediate layer relative to the contact area can be reliably maintained during assembly.

  If possible, the intermediate layer is formed using an injection molding process. Good results can be obtained when the intermediate layer is formed using multi-component injection molding. Such variations of the invention may be effective to produce an intermediate layer comprising bearing and sealing areas formed of different materials. Thus, such types of intermediate layers may be formed using a two-component injection molding system. Such a one-piece mid-layer may help to facilitate the assembly of the wheel.

  Alternatively, the bearing area of the sealing area may be vulcanized or vice versa.

  According to one variant of the invention, at least one connection element interconnects at least one first contact area and at least one second contact area. Good results can be obtained if such a connection element is provided with screws or bolts or rivets. For the description of the invention, a plurality of connection elements and combinations thereof, for example a plurality of screws and / or bolts, may also be applied to interconnect the first contact area and the second contact area. it is obvious.

  For some special types of wheels, the intermediate layer may function as a connecting element. Thus, the intermediate layer may be an adhesive or may be provided with an adhesive, which mechanically interconnects the at least one first contact area and the at least one second contact area.

  For some applications, the wheel according to the invention may comprise a connecting element protruding from at least one intermediate layer. Such connecting elements may be used to improve load transfer between the wheel center and the rim.

  Each connection element, for example each screw, may be arranged in a different manner (including the manner shown in EP 1 858 1515). For some special types of wheels, such as those used on motorcycles, the connecting element may protrude from the rim at the rim well. For some other applications, the connecting element may protrude from the rim in the area between the rim well and the outer hump. For other applications, the connecting element may project from the rim in the area between the outer hump and the outer rim edge. However, the invention is not limited to such an arrangement of connection elements.

  Good results can be achieved if the connecting element, for example a screw, is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the intermediate layer. Accordingly, static friction between at least one first contact area and at least one second contact area can be increased, thereby improving torque transmission between the wheel center and the rim. It becomes possible.

  With respect to variants comprising a plurality of connection elements, the individual connection elements may be oriented in different ways. Thus, for example, one contact area may comprise a plurality of screws oriented in a plurality of directions in order to allow optimal transmission of torque and radial force.

  Thus, in accordance with the present invention, carbon, polymer (eg, aramid), glass, stone, eg fiber reinforced plastic including fiber materials made of basalt or metal (eg steel), steel, aluminum, magnesium, titanium or combinations thereof It is possible to construct a wheel formed of various combinations of materials including combinations formed from.

  Thus, the invention can be used on a wheel having a wheel center and a rim formed of different materials. However, the invention can also be used in principle for wheels in which the rim and the wheel center are made of the same material, for example to prevent corrosion fatigue due to cyclic loads during driving.

  When at least one insert is arranged on the rim and the at least one insert extends from the rim into the wheel center, good wheel performance with respect to load transmission and durability can be obtained. Such inserts may be effective to improve load transfer between the wheel center and the rim. For example, the insert may be a bush. Such a bush may enclose a screw that functions as a connecting element. In this way, the connection screw can be protected from critical bending moments and shear.

  Good results can be obtained if the bush is provided with a flange which acts as a washer to disperse the force exerted by the head of the connecting screw on the rim.

  If possible, the insert may be formed of an electrically insulating material. In such a variant of the invention, contact corrosion between the insert, the rim and the wheel center can be prevented.

  If a screw or similar connecting element is present, the screw head and rim (and / or bush (if present)) to prevent moisture and air from entering the space between the connecting element, rim and bush One or more seals such as an O-ring may be disposed between the two.

  Alternatively or additionally, an adhesive may be inserted into the joint area between the wheel center and the rim in order to at least improve the sealing of this area. In this way, moisture ingress into the space between the connecting element, the rim and the (present) bush and / or the leakage of pressurized gas from the tire / rim volume can be at least reduced. The connecting element may be at least partially implanted in such an adhesive. Good results can be obtained if the wheel is provided with a bush and an adhesive is inserted into the joint area before the bush and the connection element are attached. It is possible to obtain good results when using a polyurethane adhesive.

  A further independent inventive concept relates to a barrier layer which supports the prevention of the escape of pressurized gas from the tire / rim volume of the wheel which is at least partially formed of a composite material. It has been found that temperature cycling and cyclic loading during actuation, as caused by braking, can lead to significant microdamage of the composite over time. In particular, such periodic phenomena may induce microcracking in the fiber reinforced plastic matrix and may lead to the escape of pressurized gas from the tire / rim volume through the rim and / or wheel center. Thus, while the service life of such wheels is reduced, the structural capabilities of the wheels will continue to meet the mechanical requirements applied to the wheels. According to this independent inventive concept, at least a part of the surface of the rim directed to the wheel is coated with a gas-impermeable barrier layer that fills the tire / rim volume, in particular with a layer formed of a polymer material. Is done. Good results can be obtained if the entire surface is coated. In this way, stress corrosion cracking can be reduced and at least leakage of pressurized gas through microcracks can be reduced. Good results can be obtained if the barrier layer comprises a material having a higher elasticity (modulus of elasticity) than the matrix of fiber-reinforced plastic, for example a silicone material, in particular a silicone varnish. The use of materials with relatively high elasticity allows for reliable sealing of micro-cracks (or larger cracks) that open due to cyclic loading or changes in wheel temperature. For some applications, the barrier layer may comprise multiple layers formed of the same and / or different materials. In one embodiment, the barrier layer comprises a layer that increases the friction of the tire attached to the rim. Thus, relative movement between the tire and the rim can be prevented.

  The barrier layer described here is a stand-alone that can be used with a composite material (not necessarily comprising an intermediate layer as disclosed herein), in particular with a wheel formed at least partly of fiber-reinforced plastic. It can be understood that this is an inventive concept.

  The invention described herein will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which are naturally not to be considered as limiting the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

An embodiment of the wheel is schematically shown in perspective view from the front, side and top. The embodiment of the wheel is shown from the rear, the side and the top. A bottom view shows an embodiment of the wheel. Fig. 4 shows a cross section AA of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 shows detail B of Fig. 4; In a perspective view, an embodiment of the connection between the wheel center and the rim is shown which is separated from the rest of the wheel for the purpose of illustration. In a perspective view, an embodiment of the connection between the wheel center and the rim, which is partially disassembled for the purpose of illustration, is shown. The perspective view shows an embodiment of the connection between the wheel center and the rim in a partially disassembled state, the rim being partially cut off for the purpose of illustration. The detail part C of FIG. 8 is shown. In a perspective view, an embodiment of the intermediate layer having a sealing area is shown. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an intermediate layer having a sealed area in an exploded state.

  The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of describing the present invention, in the presently preferred embodiment, like numbers represent like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. However, it is not intended that the present invention be limited to the specific methods and apparatus disclosed.

  1 and 2 show an embodiment of a wheel 1 according to the invention. The wheel 1 comprises a rim 2 made of fiber reinforced plastic such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Furthermore, the rim 2 comprises a rim well 7 arranged between the inner rim edge 5 and the outer rim edge 6 suitable for receiving a tire (not shown). The wheel 1 further comprises a wheel center 3 comprising a hub which can be connected to a wheel suspension (not shown) of the vehicle and which serves as a support for the rim 2. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wheel center 3 is a wheel spider having five spokes 4. The wheel center 3 and the rim are connected by means of screws 24 as described in more detail below.

  In FIG. 3, an embodiment of the wheel 1 is shown in a bottom view. As can be clearly seen, the rim 2 comprises inner and outer rim edges 5, 6 and inner and outer rim shoulders 8, 9, inner and outer humps 10, 11 and rim wells 7. The wheel center 3 is connected to the rim 2 by means of a screw 24 located between the outer hump 11 and the rim well 7 in the embodiment shown.

  FIG. 4 shows the section AA of FIG. 3 and thus in more detail shows the connection between the wheel center 3 and the rim 2 in this embodiment of the wheel 1. The joining is shown in more detail in FIG. 5, which shows detail B in FIG. As shown, the wheel center 3 is fixed to the rim 2 in the area of the outer shoulder 9 or in the area of the outer rim edge 6 and the outer hump 11. The rim 2 is provided with a first contact surface 12 on the apical side (radially inward) of the rim 2, the first contact surface 12 being spaced apart but relatively close to the second contact surface 13 Yes, the second contact surface 13 is located on the distal side (radially outward) of the spoke 4. The second contact surface is at least partially aligned with the first contact surface 12. An intermediate layer 22 is disposed between the rim 2 and each spoke 4 (or between the first contact surface 12 and the second contact surface 13). The intermediate layer 22 is on a first (centrifugal) side in contact with the first contact surface 12 of the rim 2 and on a second (directed) side in contact with the second contact surface 13 of the spoke 4. In this way, the intermediate layer prevents direct physical contact between the first contact surface 12 and the second contact surface 13.

  A sealing area 23 is disposed on the outer periphery of the intermediate layer 22, and the sealing area 23 enters a region where moisture, dust and air are between the rim 2 and the spoke 4 (between the rim 2 and the wheel center). To prevent. The sealing area 23 may be referred to as a sealing bead. In the mounted state, the sealing area is sandwiched between the first contact surface 12 and the second contact surface 13 and slightly deformed to provide a sufficient sealing effect. Thus, in the embodiment shown, the sealing area 23 is formed of an elastic material such as a vulcanized rubber. Due to the elastic material properties, it is possible to provide a reliable seal even in the presence of cyclic deformation of the bond, for example due to the rotation of the wheel during driving. For convenience of illustration, the sealing area 23 of FIG. 5 is shown in a non-deformed (uncompressed) state.

  As can be seen in FIG. 5, the sealing area 23 may be arranged at the point where the gap between the rim 2 and the wheel center 3 starts to widen. Due to such widening gaps, good drying and cleaning of the boundary area between the rim 2 and the wheel center 3 that is not separated by the intermediate layer 22 or by the sealing area 23 (or further of moisture and dust) Removal).

  The mechanical connection between the rim 2 and the wheel center 3 is substantially realized by means of screws 24 which are inserted into the stepped bores 25 at the spokes 4 of the wheel center 3 as shown in FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-9, the flanged bush 20 is arranged on the screw 24 and extends from the stepped hole 25 to the inlet 32 of the rim 2. The flanged bush 20 makes it easy to transmit drive torque and / or brake torque from the wheel center 3 to the rim 2. The flanged bush 20 may also function as an electrical insulator to prevent contact corrosion between the screw (or the electrode potential of the wheel center 3 and the screw 24) and the rim 2. Between the rim 2 and the head of the screw 24 is an O-ring 21 which prevents moisture from entering the space between the screw 24 and the rim 2 and the spokes 4. Furthermore, the O-ring 21 can also function as an electrical insulation element to prevent contact corrosion between the head of the screw 24 and the rim 2.

  As can be seen in FIG. 6, a threaded connection or the like may be arranged at the transition area between the outer rim shoulder 9 (or the outer hump 11) and the rim well 7. For such a setup, the wheel center 3 can be arranged (in the x direction) near the outer rim edge 6, i.e. tire beads (not shown) located in the inner and outer rim shoulders 8, 9 in the mounted state. The maximum free space in the center of the useful wheel 1 is provided for braking and the like without interfering with).

  As shown in FIGS. 7-9, the first contact surface 12, the second contact surface 13 and the intermediate layer 22 have corresponding shapes in some embodiments. As can be seen in FIG. 9, the flanged bush 20 may be inserted such that the flange 31 of the flanged bush 20 contacts the shoulder 26 located at the stepped inlet 32 of the rim 2. At that time, the O-ring 21 is compressed in the mounted state between the head (not shown) of the screw 24 and the shoulder 26 of the stepped inlet 32. Such an assembly arrangement is shown in FIG.

  10 and 11 show an embodiment of the intermediate layer 22 with a sealing area 23 as used in the embodiment of the wheel as shown in FIGS. 1-9. The intermediate layer 22 may have a substantially laminar design and may be bent to conform to the adjacent rim 2 and center wheel 3 or to the shape of the rim 2 and wheel center 3. The illustrated embodiment of the mid layer 22 also comprises two inlets 27 where the screw 24 and / or the bush 20 can protrude from the mid layer 22 as shown in the figures above. Furthermore, the intermediate layer 22 may also be provided with an opening 30 which may serve to position the intermediate layer 22 relative to the wheel center 3 and / or the rim 2, thereby facilitating the assembly of the wheel 1. A sealing area 23 is disposed on the outer periphery of the intermediate layer 22. As shown in FIG. 11, the sealing area 23 may be separable from the intermediate layer 22.

  The sealing area 23 extends a wedge 28 extending inward of the intermediate layer 22 in order to provide a sufficient fixing of the sealing area 23 and thereby maintain the positioning in order to ensure a proper sealing over time. Prepare. The intermediate layer 22 comprises a recess 29 having a shape corresponding to the wedge 28 of the sealing area. Such an arrangement of the wedges 28 and the corresponding recesses 29 makes it possible to maintain the sealing area 23 in place for a long time. This means that when the gap is widened and the sealing area 23 is displaced from the gap, the sealing area 23 is normally positioned in the boundary region of the gap between the rim 2 and the wheel center 3. Equally important. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, such a wedge 28 has a corner of the sealing area 23 such that the edge acts as a kind of fixed part for the adjacent part of the sealing area 23. It may be used in an area at a predetermined distance from.

  In addition, the recess 29 allows an excellent positioning of the intermediate layer 22 with respect to the first and second contact areas 12, 13.

1 wheel 2 rim 3 wheel center 4 spokes (wheel center)
5 inner rim edge 6 outer rim edge 7 rim well 8 inner rim shoulder 9 outer rim shoulder 10 inner hump 11 outer hump 12 first contact area / face (rim)
13 Second contact area / surface (spoke)
20 insert (bush)
21 O ring (seal)
22 Middle layer (flat)
23 Sealing area (middle layer) 24 Connection element (screw)
25 hole 26 shoulder (in stepped inlet) 27 27 (in intermediate layer) inlet 28 wedge 29 recess (wedge recess)
30 Opening 31 Flange (of bush) 32 Entrance of (rim)

Claims (21)

a. A wheel (1) comprising a rim (2) and a wheel center (3) interconnected to said rim (2),
b. The rim (2) comprises at least one first contact area (12), the wheel center (3) comprises at least one second contact area (13), the first The contact area and the second contact area are aligned with one another in the mounting position;
c. An intermediate layer (22) is disposed between the at least one first contact area (12) and the at least one second contact area (13), the at least one first contact area (12) And at least partially preventing direct contact between the at least one second contact area (13) ,
d. A wheel (1), at least one insert (20) being arranged in said rim (2), said at least one insert (20) extending from said rim (2) into the wheel center (3 ) .   The intermediate layer (22) completely prevents direct contact between the at least one first contact area (12) and the at least one second contact area (13). The wheel (1) described in.   The wheel (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the intermediate layer (22) comprises at least one load bearing area / section.   A wheel (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the middle layer (22) comprises at least one sealing area (23).   A wheel (1) according to claim 4, wherein the at least one sealing area (23) is arranged circumferentially of the intermediate layer (22).   The wheel (1) according to claim 5, wherein the at least one sealing area (23) is made of an elastic material.   A wheel (1) according to claim 6, wherein the elastic material is FKM or vulcanized rubber or silicone or nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) or EPDM rubber.   A wheel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate layer (22) comprises a metal layer.   The wheel (1) according to claim 8, wherein the metal layer is coated with a polymer material and / or ceramic and / or glass.   10. At least one connection element (24) interconnects the at least one first contact area (12) and the at least one second contact area (13). The wheel (1) according to one of the items. The at least one connecting element (24) protruding from front SL during layer (22) of claim 10 wheel (1).   The wheel (1) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the connecting element (24) is a screw or bolt or rivet.   Whether the connecting element (24) protrudes from the rim (2) at the rim well (7), or protrudes from the rim (2) in the region between the rim well (7) and the outer hump (11); A wheel (1) according to claim 12, which protrudes from the rim (2) in the area between the outer hump (11) and the outer rim edge (6).   A wheel (1) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the connection element (24) is substantially perpendicular to at least a portion of the intermediate layer (22).   A wheel (1) according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the connection element (24) is at least partially implanted in the adhesive.   The adhesive according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer (22) comprises an adhesive mechanically interconnecting the at least one first contact area (12) and the at least one second contact area (13). The wheel (1) according to any one of 15.   Material wherein the rim (2) and / or the wheel center (3) is selected from the group consisting of fiber reinforced plastics including steel, carbon, aramid, glass, basalt, steel, steel, aluminum, magnesium, titanium The wheel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the wheel (1) is formed.   Wheel (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the rim (2) and the wheel center (3) are formed of different materials.   A wheel (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate layer (22) comprises an electrically insulating material.   Wheel (1) according to claim 19, wherein the electrically insulating material comprises rubber and / or silicone and / or glass fiber and / or ceramic. Wheel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the insert (20) is a bush.

Images